Apparatus for utilizing the motion of sea-water for motive-power purposes.



No. 852,661. PATENTED MAY '7, 1907.

J. FORTUNY Y BANUS. APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE MOTION OF SEA WATER FORMOTIVE POWER PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1906.

2 SHEETk-BHBET 1.

FIG

E===HU WIF'AAFGSISS .f I /ZZA? w/Qlaw f' No. 852,661. PATENTED MAY 7,I907.

' J. PORTUNY Y BANfis. APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE MOTION OP SBA WATERFOR MOTIVE POWER PURPOSES.

APPLIGA TION FILED AUG. 10. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/T/VESSES I UNITE STTES PATET OFFICE.

3i 1' JOSE FORTUN Y Y BANOS, OF BARCELONA, SPAIN. APPARATUS FORUTILIZING THE MOTION OF SEA-WATER FOR MOTIVE-POWER PURPOSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josii FoRTUNY Y BANI'IS, a subject of Spain,residing at Barcelona, Spain, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Apparatus for Utilizing the Motion of Sea-Water for Motive-PowerPurposes, of which the following is a specification. e The object of thepresent invention is the utilization of the different movements of seawater for transforming them into useful motive power.

The essence of this invention consists in the manner of transmitting theaction of the motor agent, in this instance the sea, to the a paratuswhich is to utilize its force, and t 's is effected by means of bladesor vanes submerged in the water and which form part of a structureadapted to oscillate about a horizontal axle situated at its upperextremity and which at the same time is its axle of suspension, so thatthe sea currents in their advance and recession communicate theirmovements to the blades or vanes and thus to the structure supportingthem. In this way the combination of the blades or vanes and thestructure will constitute a pendulum in as much as it will be submittedto the to and fro or oscillatory movements about its axis communicatedto it by the Waters. In addition each pendulum serves as an envelop orguide to buoys or floats to which it communicates the oscillatorymovement and to which is added the ascensional and descensional movementwhich is peculiar to floating bodies submitted to the variable motion ofwaves.

By means of the combination of the pendulums with the buoys forming thependulum buoy the principal feature of this invention, all the movementsof sea water can be utilized however slight or strong they may be, evenin the case of fierce storms since the current which actuates theapparatus is not only at the surface or where the waves break but aboveall that current which is below the wave which produces a less suddenbut continuous movement and more uniform oscillation. The prejudicialeffects which would produce in the apparatus the repeated shocks of thewaves as much at ordinary times as during stormy weather are preventedby means of a shield or break-water which fixed to the structure forms afront and side cover to the apparatus and on which owing to its formresembling the prow of a ship the blows of the waves are broken anddeviated.

If the shield or break-water is not sufficient to resist the violentblows of the waves, as the pendulum buoy is suspended to a smallcarriage running on two rails it can be transported to a reserveposition where the pendulum buoy after being raised to a corn venientheight need not be influenced by these effects. buoy may acquire a toomuch accelerated movement the buoy can be filled with water in themanner hereinafter described and thus will produce a powerful brakingaction.

Finally where the pendulum Generally it will not be necessary to have,

recourse to these means the movement of the blades or vanes beingeffected almost without blow or shock as soon as they are submerged by abody of Water which has only the power to oscillate and thus offers acertain resistance to abrupt changes of motion.

In the small carriage above referred to are disposed the other accessoryparts of the apparatus, such as the elevator for the pendu lum buoy, theapparatus for raising and lowering the buoy, the pumps, the gearing, thelovers, the transmitting gear andv any other elements that may bethought necessary.

In order to graduate the load water line of the buoy or to raise itentirely, it is only necessary to open the valve with which it isfurnished; the water thus enters the interior so as to arrive at thedesired level or equivalently it can rest on the bottom of the structureby its own weight where it will only have the pendular motion. In orderto float it the valve is opened and the buoy is raised by means of acable which is wound round the drum of the carriage until it attains thedesired water load line and then the valve is closed.

The power obtained by means of the pendulum buoy can be collected andtransmitted from any point of the pendulum either above or below theaxis of oscillation, employing if desired the oscillatory movement whichthe long sides of the pendulum make and varying generally as desired thesystem adopted in as much as when once obtained the combination isperfect between the movements of advance and recoil ascent and descentand the method of profitably using the power produced by these movementswill be an accidental part of the problem to which any arrangementthoughtfit can be applied.

The drawing herewith illustrates by way of example one of the many waysof carrying IIO 65 on a convenient place on the shore and of out thependulum float and the method of which the form, dimensions and otherdetransmitting the motive force produced. tails are suflicient forgiving the necessary In the drawings :-Figure 1 represents a strength.At the upper part of the buoy R side elevation of the pendulum buoy.Fig. 2 and rigidly attached thereto is a support hav- 5 is a plan of thesame pendulum from the uping an axis 1 to which is connected two con-'70 per side partly in section. Fig. 3 indicates necting rods A, at agiven angle to each other on a smaller scale a side elevation of thearwhich are hinged at their opposite ends to rangement of a mechanismfor utilizing the two levers B adapted to turn about the horimotivepower of'the pendulum buoy. Fig. zontal axis Z which constitutes thepoint of 4 is a front elevation of the same. support of these levers thewhole forming a 7:

The proper working of the pendulum buoy, hinged quadrilateral figure. Onthe axle Z Figs. 1 and 2 requires its installation in such and betweenthe levers B is mounted a a manner that the shield L L receives theactoothed wheel 0, with the teeth of which ention of the waves, so thatthe blades or vanes gage detents H. The line V V represents I K K willbe submerged at a lower depth and the dividing line between the waveswhich in a more regular current. The blades or act on the shield L andthe current which vanes K K which may be variable in number acts onblades or vanes K. and in form are fixed to a structure J J of any Thewaters in advancing make the pendu convenient rigid form which isadapted to os- 'lum buoy recoil and carry in its movement 2c cillateabout a horizontal axis T of which the the two connecting rods A andthese cause bearings are mounted on the longitudinal the levers B tooscillate about the axis Z and beams of the small carriage mounted onthe the detents H to turn the wheel 0 through wheels U. In the interiorof the structure a certain angle. But the recoil of the pen- J J, isarranged in a swinging manner a buoy dulum buoy is simultaneous with theascent 2 5 R of any form and dimensions so long as the of the buoy andconsequently this causes the effect desired is obtained. This buoy istwo connecting rods to separate and one of guided vertically in itsmovement of ascent them, that on the right in this particular anddescent by a pair of slides G and is iurcase, turns the wheel C througha further nished with a valve P connected to a rod F distance by meansof the lever and the de- 0 so as to open and shut the said valve bytent, which movement is added to that obturning the wheel E therebyallowing water tained by the movement of the pendulum; to enter theinterior of the buoy. Finally the waters on retiring and the pendulumadthe buoy is connected to and suspended by a vancing do not exert theaction in this parcable N which passes over two grooved pul ticular caseon the wheel C but as at the 5 leys of the barrel M so as to be raisedor lowsame time the buoy descends, the left con- 10o ered at will.necting rod pushes its lever relative to the From the description of theapparatus its wheel C and causes it to turn. By a con-- mode of actionis easily understood. In efvenient arrangement the pendulum can be feet,while the waves beat against the shield made in advancing to act also onthe wheel 4 L which disperses them, the current underneath .the wavesacts on the blades or vanes I K, presses upon them and causes them to recede, and carrying in that movement the pendulum and the buoy which willoscillate 45 about the axis of suspension T. On the other hand the buoyexaggerating the movement of recoil will have another ascending movementdue to the level of the Waters on which it floats being increased ordiminished.

5 The water on reflowing toward the sea pro duces an inverse action onthe blades or vanes and the pendulum which carries the buoy with itexaggerates this pendulum movement and will have another movement 5 5 ofascent or descent following the level of the sea. This movement of thependulum which the arrangementof the apparatus combines with that of theascent and descent which is only applicable to the buoy and which being60 continually reproduced can be utilized in difierent ways. One ofthese is that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 where the pendulum float issuspended to a small. carriage O movable along the rails S of thestructure Q mounted rotation obtained about the axis Z can be utilizedso that when produced it will be rendered more uniform by means offly-wheels or by any other convenient arrangement. Such rotation can bealso transmitted by no means of cog-wheels, gearing, straps or the likeand to be utilized direct bymeans of the lift of the water.

It must be further added that the origin of the present invention beingthe solution of an extremely. complicated problem of which the bases arenot easy to choose, the form, structure, dimensions and arrangement ofthe pendulum buoy can be varied, the system em loyed for its raising andsuspension, the shie d or the installation of the-various parts, thenumber of pendulums or buoys employed as well as the manner ofgraduating the floating of the buoy, the system of valve,

ployed as well as their number and kind, in general all that which isindependent of the perpendicular movement of the a paratus combined withthat of the ascent an descent of the buoy. 1 0

C and cause it to turn. This movement of 105 the quality and form of thematerials em- It goes without saying that when it is desirable that thependulums be employed alone i. 6. without buoys and either in the one orother case can have scoops as may be desired and of any convenient formthe pendulum buoy or its blades or vanes can be provided with specialmechanism to maintain them always normal to the direction of thecurrents.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, the combinationof a frame suspended at its up per end so as to have oscillatingmovement, a float slidably carried by said frame, an apparatus to bedriven and levers connected to said float and adapted to transmit tosaid a I paratus both the oscillating movement of 1; 1e frame and thevertical movement of the float.

27 A wave motor comprising a frame suspended at its upper end so as tohave oscillating movement, blades on said frame submerged in the water,means for transmitting the movement of said frame and a shield on theframe for preventing,ggshocksjithereto from the waves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSE FORTUNY Y BANI'IS.

Witnesses:

BENJ. H. RIDGELY, JOSE M. ERTAPE.

